"...I'll be home for Christmas...if only in my dreams." I still get a lump in my throat when I first hear that song at the beginning of the holidays. Written in 1943 by the Gannon bros., Kim and Kent and recorded by Bing Crosby, it touched all who hears it. I felt the same lump when I heard the President say our troops in Iraq "will be home for the holidays."
Nearly 9 years, 45-hundred Americans killed, 50-thousand wounded, a trillion dollars in treasure and more, all of it in a war we didn't have to fight. When I heard the news I thought there's everybody's lead story. THE WAR IN IRAQ IS OVER. Wrong. Fox News didn't lead with it and when it did it used it to criticize Obama for pulling the troops when the Iraq government refused to provide Americans with immunity. The others covered it but something was missing. Soon our men and women will no longer live in fear of suicide bombers, snipers, IED's, snakes, scorpions or brutal weather. Where are the tears of joy? Then it hit.
Less than 1/2 of one percent of America is touched by the war. That includes the military, their families and friends. The rest of us were told to go shopping or to Disneyworld. As for those who lied and led us to war, they're doing well. Writing books, posing, spewing malarkey and looking for another war. But for those coming home here's the line from another song: "gonna take a sentimental journey...gonna set my heart at ease."
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Welcome back and God bless.
